The forthcoming of silicon (Si) highly soluble sources provided a suitable alternative to Si use in agroecosystems. There are many benefits associated to Si application in crops, such as improvement in feed quality. In this sense, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of Si foliar application on physiological quality, biomass production, and silicon accumulation in Sorghum bicolor. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse condition using an entirely randomized design, with five Si rates (0 as control), 0.84, 1.68, 2.52, and 3.36g L -1 of Si) applied as potassium and sodium silicate, with four repetitions. In each treatment, applied solutions were balanced in potassium in order to isolate the Si effect. The following measurements were taken: growth, biomass production, Si accumulation, and physiological quality. Supplying Si via leaves did not affect the sorghum growth rate and the relative chlorophyll index; however, leaf area increased 23% with the use of 2.36 g L -1 of Si. Physiological variables are influenced by increasing Si rates, with rates close to 1.68 g L -1 of Si causing the best photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance. The use of potassium silicate as a source of silicon is an alternative for productivity increases up to 30%, but an economic study on the viability of its commercial application in the production chain of Sorghum bicolor is necessary.
Purpose: We investigated the interactive role of Si-mediated attenuation to aluminum (Al) toxicity in two sugarcane cultivars ('CTC9002' and 'CTC9003') grown in hydroponic conditions. Methods: Two pot experiments were distributed in randomized blocks in a factorial design (4 × 2) with four replications. The treatments consisted of 0, 10, 15, and 20 mg L −1 Al (as aluminum sulfate [Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 •18H 2 O)], which were combined with the absence and presence of Si [(2.0 mmol L −1 as potassium silicate (K 2 SiO 3 )].Results: Both sugarcane cultivars ('CTC9002' and 'CTC9003') were affected by Al toxicity (above 10 mg L −1 ), resulting in nutritional disorders and decreasing plant growth, which were drastically reversed by Si addition in the growth medium. Si supplementation decrease Al concentration and translocation to the shoots of both cultivars when Al and Si were simultaneously supplied in the growth medium. We demonstrated that in shoots of both sugarcane seedlings, Si concentration are positively related to the lignin concentrations (ranging from 12.0% to 41% in cv. 'CTC9002' and 12% to 47% in cv. 'CTC9003'). In addition, Si fertilization enhanced mineral nutrition and use e ciency of macros-and micronutrients, irrespective of the cultivar. Therefore, the use of cultivar 'CTC9003' under Si fertilization is more recommended to cope with the adverse effect caused by Al stress.Conclusions: The ndings of this study suggest that Si fertilization in sugarcane seedlings is an economic and viable strategy strongly recommended to cope with the adverse effect caused by Al toxicity at concentrations less than 20 mg L −1 , which lead to increase the shoot biomass production.
Potassium (K) deficiency affects physiological performance and decreases vegetative growth in common bean plants. Although silicon (Si) supplied via nutrient solution or foliar application may alleviate nutritional stress, research on the bean crop is incipient. Thus, two experiments were carried out: initially, a test was performed to determine the best source and foliar concentration of silicon. Subsequently, the chosen Si source was supplied in nutrient solution via roots or foliar application to verify whether Si supply forms are efficient in alleviating the effects of K deficiency. For these purposes, a completely randomized 2 × 3 factorial design was used, with two levels of K: deficient (0.2 mmol L−1 of K) and sufficient (6 mmol L−1 of K); and Si: in nutrient solution via roots (2 mmol L−1 of Si) or foliar application (5.4 mmol L−1 of Si) and control (0 mmol L−1 of Si). Our findings revealed that Si supplied via foliar spraying using the source of sodium silicate and stabilized potassium at a concentration of 5.4 mmol L−1 was agronomically viable for the cultivation of bean plant. K deficiency, when not supplied with silicon, compromised plant growth. Moreover, root-and-foliar-applied Si attenuated the effects of K deficiency as it increased chlorophylls and carotenoids content, photosynthetic activity, water use efficiency and vegetative growth. For the first time, the role of Si to mitigate K deficiency in the bean crop was evidenced, with a view to further research on plants that do not accumulate this beneficial element.
Studies with silicon (Si) in sugarcane indicate a greater response in productivity in plants under stress, and the underlying mechanisms of Si in the crop are poorly reported. In this context, the benefits of Si in the crop’s stem production are expected to occur at the C:N:P stoichiometry level in plant tissues, benefiting plants with and without stress. However, the extension of this response may vary in different soils. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate if fertigation with Si modifies the C:N:P stoichiometry and if it can increase sugarcane’s nutritional efficiency and vegetative and productive parameters. Therefore, three experiments were installed using pre-sprouted seedlings to cultivate sugarcane in tropical soils belonging to the Quartzarenic Neosol, Eutrophic Red Latosol, and Dystrophic Red Latosol classes. The treatments comprised a 2 × 2 factorial scheme in each soil. The first factor was composed without water restriction (water retention = 70%; AWD) and with water restriction (water retention = 35%; PWD). The second factor presented Si concentrations (0 mM and 1.8 mM) arranged in randomized blocks with five replications. Fertigation with Si increases the Si and P concentration, the C and N efficiency, the C:N ratio, and the dry mass production. However, it decreases the C and N concentration and the C:P, C:Si, and N:P ratios in sugarcane leaves and stems regardless of the water regime adopted in the three tropical soils. Cluster and principal components analysis indicated that the intensity of the beneficial effects of Si fertigation on sugarcane plants varies depending on the cultivation soil and water conditions. We found that Si can be used in sugarcane with and without water stress. It changes the C:N:P homeostasis enough to improve the nutritional efficiency of C, P, N, and, consequently, the dry mass accumulation on the stems, with variation in the different cultivated soils.
Silicon (Si) application, both via foliar application and via roots, may be promising to improve plant growth under different biotic or abiotic stresses. In the present study, we investigated whether application of Si can also mitigate the harmful effects of boron (B)‐related nutritional disorders, such as B deficiency, when the application of B is inefficient or insufficient, and B toxicity, when the soil presents high levels of B. This may enable producers to apply Si preventively, if there is a low availability of B in the environment or if B deficiency is induced during the growth season due to a water deficit reducing the plant's B absorption. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of leaf and root Si application on alleviating the harmful effects of B deficiency and toxicity in cotton. Three experiments were carried out with cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum cv. Bayer FM910®), using a soilless system. In a first experiment, we determined that highest plant Si concentrations were obtained with application of stabilized sodium and potassium silicate at concentrations of 0.8 g L−1 (foliar) and 0.056 g L−1 (roots). Experiment 2 indicated that the B concentrations in the nutrient solution associated with moderate B deficiency, sufficiency and moderate toxicity were 33.7, 83.6, and 130.5 µM B L−1, respectively. In Experiment 3 we evaluated the effect of optimum Si applications on the physiology and dry weight production of cotton plants subjected to B deficiency, sufficiency, and toxicity. Silicon mitigated the harmful effects of both B deficiency and toxicity by increasing whole‐plant biomass production and levels of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll, and reduced initial and maximum fluorescence, thereby improving the quantum efficiency of photosystem II. Collectively, these results indicate that the greatest benefit of Si in mitigating B deficiency occurred with foliar B application, while Si supplied via the nutrient solution was more effective against B toxicity.
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